In the game of poker, players are dealt a number of cards. The highest card in a hand wins. In addition, the higher card in a hand breaks ties. The high card breaks ties when no one has a pair of cards, when two people have the same rank, and when the high card of both players is higher than the second highest card.
There are hundreds of ways to play poker. The rules of each game differ slightly. The basic structure is the same across most games. In most games, players place an ante (or blind bet) before being dealt two cards. Once the cards are dealt, players may choose to bet, check, fold, raise, or match the previous bet.
The game can be played with as few as two to nine players, though six to eight is ideal. During a single round of betting, the pot is the total amount of bets by all players. A player can win the pot by having the highest poker hand or by making a bet that no other players call.
The hand value of a poker hand depends on its suit and value. In five-card poker, a player can have two types of hands: a straight and a flush. A straight is five cards in a row, and a flush is five cards of the same suit.